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Savages fall to Brush, 34-0

For the first time since 2009, the Savages are 0-2 to start the season

Ledger Staff Report

Posted:
09/13/2016 02:12:34 PM MDT

(Picasa)

It continues to be a work in progress for the Lamar High School football team.

For the first time since 2009, the Savages are 0-2 to start the season.

That year, Lamar went on to win eight start games before losing to Holy Family in the last game of the season to finish with an 8-2 record.

Lamar also lost its first two games in 2008 before finishing the season with a 5-5 overall record.

After losing their first game of the season at Eaton, 35-0, the Savages failed to score a touchdown again as they fell on the road to the Brush Beetdiggers, 34-0, on Saturday, Sept. 10.

In the loss to Brush, the Savages were their own worst enemy as they committed a handful of turnovers.

To the dismay of Lamar head coach Jason Tice, the Beetdiggers converted several of those turnovers into touchdowns.

Brush scored twice in the first quarter to take a 14-0 lead.

The Beetdiggers engineered a nine play, 65-yard scoring drive to open the game. The drive was capped on a three-yard run by junior quarterback Cade Uhrick with 7:35 showing. The extra point kick by Jr. Puga was good to make it 7-0.

Following the ensuing kickoff, the Savages took over on their own 26 and picked up a first down to the 35.

From there, Lamar was back to punt when a low snap to Brock Murphy resulted in a sack at the Savages' 25.

Two players later, Brush scored on a 25-yard run by senior Jeron Petterson with 2:17 left in the opening quarter. Petterson finished the game with 112 yards on 15 carries with most of those yards coming in the first half.

The extra point kick was good by Puga as the Beetdiggers were up 14-0.

Disaster struck again for Lamar after just three plays when a fumble was recovered by Brush at midfield.

The Beetdiggers scored eight plays later on a 20-yard strike on a halfback pass from senior Trent Mount to a wide open senior Adrian Lopez with 10:40 showing in the second quarter.

The extra point kick was good by Puga as Brush increased its lead to 21-0.

After Lamar was forced to punt in four plays, the Beetdiggers struck pay dirt again on a 59-yard scoring drive in eight plays. Petterson capped the drive with a seven-yard run with 5:20 left. Puga booted another extra point for a 27-0 advantage.

On Lamar's next possession, the Savages threatened.

A 33-yard pass from quarterback Jeremiah Gonzales to Trevor Butler gave the Savages the ball on the Brush 23.

However, the threat was thwarted when a busted play by the Savages resulted in another fumble that was recovered by Brush on the 15.

The Lamar defense forced Brush to punt for the first time as the Savages took over on their own 32.

On the first play, Gonzales completed a 21-yard pass to Brock Murphy. But on the next play, Lamar was smacked with another turnover when Butler fumbled the ball at midfield.

In the second half, both teams pretty much played on even terms.

The third quarter went scoreless but Lamar had a promising drive that ended with no points.

The Savages received the opening kick and from the 20 marched to the Beetdiggers' 15 yard line behind the running of fullback Colton Eberhardt.

Lamar faced 4th-and-3 from the 15 when a running play by Valentin Flores netted minus yards as the Savages turned the ball back to the Beetdiggers.

Following a punt by Brush for the second time in the game, Lamar had the ball at midfield with just under a minute left in the third quarter.

On 3rd-and-13 from the Savages' 43, a pass by Gonzales was intercepted and returned to the Lamar 17.

Brush faced 4th-and-11 from the 18 when the Lamar defense ended the threat after Uhrick was stopped on a quarterback draw.

Lamar couldn't get much going on offense and was forced to punt. The punt by Murphy was blocked and recovered in the end zone for a touchdown to give the Beetdiggers a 34-0 lead with 9:23 left to play. The kick on the extra point was blocked.

With one mintue left in the game, Lamar had another opportunity to put points on the board.

Facing 2nd-and-12 from the Brush 15, Treven Wertz had a nine-yard carry to the nine yard line.

On third down with 28 seconds left, Addison Morales was tackled at the two-yard line.

After a time out, a Gonzales pass fell incomplete on fourth down to end Lamar's hopes to score.

Lamar hits the road for the third straight game when they visit the Class 1A No. 10 state-ranked Burlington Cougars on Friday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.

The Cougars are 1-1 after losing their season opener to Strasburg, 48-14, but rebounding with a 49-14 win against St. Mary's last week.

Since 2006, Burlington owns an 8-2 record against the Savages.

After losing seven straight losses to Burlington, Lamar broke the streak with back-to-back wins by the scores of 21-12 in 2013 and 27-6 in 2014.

The Cougars won last year's game between the two teams by the count of 21-6.

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